I've had a couple of ideas kicking around in my head for ages. I give myself a bit less than 50% chance of ever actually getting a tattoo, though._________________"Whatever afflicts thee, their asses I shall kick"

Totally different needles. Not those great big scary things for piercing:

The tattoo "gun" has itty-bitty needles full of ink. It only hurts on bony areas (like my 18-year-old hip - OUCH) and "soft underbelly" parts, like the inner arm. Other than that, it feels like...well, it's hard to describe. To me, it felt like a sewing machine combined with what I imagine a bee sting feels like, but only for a few minutes. Then it goes all warm but numb. And it is addictive. I got my second tattoo minutes after my first, and my fourth tattoo almost immediately following my third.

I used to fear needles, too. But with all the shooting-up I've seen in movies and on "Intervention," I got used to it. When it comes time to get my shots updated, I just let my arm go limp, look away, and talk to the nurse or whoever so I don't think about it. It's over before I know it and doesnt even hurt.

One thing I will never understand about tattoos is having one where you can't ever see it.

Oh, mine can be seen. Just not by the general public, mostly. Actually, mine are visible if I'm wearing a swimsuit. I just made sure they wouldn't interfere with my job at IBM, back when. On the other hand, the black rose is not meant to be a constant public declaration of mourning for lost friends and family. It's just an indelible reminder that they not be forgotten. Not really exhibition stuff.

BTW, Yorick, I love the current avatar.

Eiden, it's more like having your skin sandpapered than being stabbed. The needles don't go deep. The winged lion took about an hour and wasn't too bad (though I have, admittedly, an extremely high pain tolerance) and afterward felt like a bad sunburn throughout the healing process. Different places have different pain levels, though. I've heard scalp tattoos are difficult and I found that the breastbone is a tough place to get one. Ankles are also supposed to be more painful. Some places I have seen tattoos just make me shake my head; why would anyone ever want their junk tattooed. For the record, if (insert model/actress name here) were sexually available to me and had tattooed genitals, I would not be interested. It would seem to indicate that sensation there must be dead or nearly so. Or it's a pain fetish, which I'm also not interested in. On the other hand, I find tribal tattoos in the small of the back sexy - but a word of advice for would-be mothers: get the tattoo divided at the spine because most anesthesiologists balk at doing an epidural through a tattoo._________________

Halen wrote:

The reason that "people actually see the points people make" = "people agree with me" is because I. Am. Right!

Last edited by Flion on Tue Mar 10, 2009 2:48 pm; edited 1 time in total

Wow, I love it when people are deliberately ambiguous. It's not annoying in any way._________________Ironically, Halen's one of the few people here I wouldn't worry about terrifying my friends and family. In my head he ends every real life conversation stroking his chin and saying, "well yes, that sounds reasonable."

My brother has tattoos, a heart with his wife's name and a skull with spider legs. I would probably never get one unless it was a fantastic dragon done by an artist I really admire. However every time someone discovers I can draw really well, their first question is can I make them a Tattoo. Kinda weirds me out to have someone permanently attach my artwork to their body so I avoid it. If someone does that it would have to be something I'm particularly proud of, but I'm very critical of my own art.

Wow, I love it when people are deliberately ambiguous. It's not annoying in any way.

Assuming you're responding to my post: the ambiguity is both logical and necessary, since I can't claim to be an encyclopedia on the reasons people might get a tattoo. Clarification is unnecessary, since Flion provided--in the post, you know, directly before mine--one reason why a tattoo need not be seen.

For now even the description of the tattoo gun as 'itty bittle needles full of ink' hitting you with a sewing machine staccato of bee stings gives me the shivers.

I doubt this will help you in anyway, but after a few minutes you really dont feel it anymore if the artist is smooth enough and depending on location. I went on my 18th birthday with my sister who got one on her back. She fell asleep halfway through it which amazed me actually.

However, the one I got on my arm got close to the armpit and it felt like someone was rubbing a cigarette on me.